Improved composition for gunpowder



EDWARD HARRISON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO W. W. SIMPSON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVED COMPOSITION FOR GUNPOWDER, 80c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,576, dated February 9, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HARRISON, 0fthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gunpowder; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the component parts of and mode of compounding the same.

This invention consists in the addition of amorphous phosphorus to ordinary gunpowder, by which I obtain a compound which burns quicl er and with a more forcible explosion. This compound may be used for firearms, for the bursting charges of explosive projectiles, and for blasting purposes.

The compounds may becomposed of various proportions of gunpowder and phosphorus; but to produce the quickest combustion and most forcible explosion I use the following proportions by weight: gunpowder, twelve and a half (12%) parts; amorphous phosphorus, one

(1) part. To make the compound I reduce them separately to fine powder by trituration in a mortar, or by other suitable means, then place them in the desired proportions in a fine sieve, and sift them together into a suitable receptacle as many times as may be necessary to effect a perfect mixture.

This compound is used in the same manner as ordinary gunpowder, according to the purpose to which it is applied.

I do not confine myself to the proportions herein specified; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The gunpowder or explosive compound herein described, composed of ordinary gunpowder and amorphous phosphorus.

EDWARD HARRISON. Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON,

R. W. WINFIELD SIMPSON. 

